S- scripture

PSALM 8 

O - observation

A PPLICATION

1. Take a step back, get perspective… Meditate on who God is. (Psalm 8:1-4)

2. Step into the Gospel reflection. (Psalm 8:6-8)

(Hebrews 2:6–9, Colossians 1:15–23)

P -prayer

3. Return to worship.

S- Scripture

• The first step of the SOAP Bible Study Method is “S” for “Scripture.” Scripture is the Word of God, and the foundation of the SOAP method.
• This step is important because we need to make sure that our study doesn’t start with anything other than Scripture; otherwise, all sorts of ideas and teachings can creep in and confuse what we’re really looking for.
• So for this step, pick a reading plan, what part of scripture you will want to study.
• It could be a verse or two that stood out to you for some reason, or you could look up the season you are in and Bible verses that go with this. A great way of doing this is going to Faith Study Bible and typing in a word, and seeing where in the Bible that exact word is.

Some Favorite Reading Plans

• https://faithlife.com/products/faithlife-study- bible
• https://shereadstruth.com, https://hereadstruth.com,
• https://www.bible.com/reading-plans

O- Observe

• This is such a crucial part of the SOAP Bible Study Method. Observing the scripture, instead of simply taking it at face-value, will help you absorb the Word.
• The O of SOAP is when you stop to think about what the Bible passage says, and maybe why it says it. If there are any questions that come up in this process, make sure they’re written down so we can explore them later on!
• Who was this written for?
• What do you see?
• Were any words repeated?
• What jumped out at you?
• I would write down anything and everything that comes to your mind. It may be God calling you to some ideas you would not come up with on your own.

A- Application

• The “A” of the SOAP Bible study process is application. Once you have observed and pondered the scripture, now it’s time to apply what you’ve learned.
• What are your thoughts after reading the scripture?
• How does this make you feel?
• Now turn back to the Bible passage again…
• What can I do differently because of what I read today?
• Where am I going forward in my life as a result of this reading or application process for me personally?
• Some examples might be asking for forgiveness from those who wronged us, forgiving someone ourselves, praying about our relationships with people we love dearly, being less critical when things don’t go well at work or something else.

P- Prayer.

• Pray God’s word back to Him. Pray the Bible verse, and pray over anything that came to you or that you wrote down while studying the Bible verse you picked for the method.
• You can pray with a friend, spouse or by yourself.
• Pray about anything that came up in your reading process today and ask for God’s help as you go through life.
• If the Bible verse was something to meditate on from a passage of scripture, then thank Him for it and be grateful He has revealed Himself to us so intimately.

That’s it! It is up to you how long you want to study and soak up your verse or verses from the SOAP Bible study method.